Locomotive stoker



@cin 20, 1931.

N. M. LOWER LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed Feb. s, 192s 5 sheets-sheet, l

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed Feb. 8, 192e 5 'sheets-sheet 2 @at 20, i931. N.M. LOWER 1,828,116

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l ag!!! IER Oct.20, 1931. N. M. LOWER Lal@ LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 5Shee'ts-'Shee 4 l J7/79915 /y Elbe/T7257@ ff lou/@74 Oct, 20, 1931. N.M. LOWER 1,828J16 LOGOMOTIVE S TOKER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Oct. 2U, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEj NATHAN M. LOWER, FPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- N MENTS, T THESTANDARD STOKE-R GOMPANY INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION 0FDELAWARE LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Application led February rlhis inventionrelates to stoking mechanisms for locomotives and has for its principalobjects to reduce the weight of those portions carried by thelocomotive; to reduce the space required on a locomotive for thereception of the stoker and particularly with respect to the drivingmechanism; to provide a continuous flow of fuel to the locomotive;

to facilitate the original assembly andthe' removal and replacementofparts; and to generally improve the serviceability lof the Stoker. Manymore specific objects and many advantages of the invention willappear asthe disclosure proceeds and the description is read in connection withthe accompanying drawings illustrating the preerred embodiment, and inwhich Fig.` 1 is a longitudinal section through the Stoker and portionsof a tender and locomotive;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stoker with a part of the tire box shown insection;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the stoker with parts of the casingsbroken away to reveal the interior mechanism; y

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; y

Fig. 5 is a fragment of a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.3;

Fig, 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, with theupper portion of the elevator tube removed;

lig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of F ig. 3;

Fig. 8- is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1, illustrating themounting of the dividing rib;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 Ofrig. e;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation ofthe casting D;

Fig. llis a plan view of that casting;

Fig, 12 is a transverse section through the elevator bores;

Fig. 13 is a side view or' that casting looking from the right of Fig.10;

Fig. 14 is a partial rear elevation of a locomotive with theStoker-applied;

Fig. 15 is a' diagrammatic illustration of a slight modification in thedriving mecha- 8,; 192e. serial No. 86,843.

nism by which the transverse shaft is located in front of the elevatingscrews, and

Fig. 16 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 8, illustrating thecorresponding modification in the base casting; and v F ig. 17 is adiagrammatic illustration of the driving mechanism with the worms andcoal forwardly to the locomotive 11, and two elevators B and C, whichraise the coal in separate streams and deliver it to distributor tubes12 by which it is scattered over the gratos 13, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The transfer conveyor consists essentially of a trough 14 looselymounted beneath a slot" 15 in the base-of the tender and having thereina screw 16 adapted to urge the coal along the trough and in cooperationwith the crusher 17 reduce lumps of coal to proper size for firing. Eachof the elevators includes a substantially cylindrical casing 18 and Iascrew 19 rotatably mounted therein and serving to convey the coalupwardly and discharge it into the distributor tubes 12.

The `juncture between the forward, or delivery "end of the transferconveyor and the lower, or receiving ends of the elevators, is Jformedby a casting D, which forms both the base for the stoker and a casing,or casings, for many of its parts. In the intermediate portion of thiscasting there is a chamber 2O into whichthe screw 16 forces the coal. Oneach side of the chamber 2O is an upwardly and outwardly inclinedchamber, or bore, 2l forming the lower portion of the elevator casingsand communicating with the intermediate chamber 20 through a door, orpassage 22.

Adjacent'tothe upper end of each borell'21, L

vthe casting is rabbeted, or counter-bored, to form a seat 23, for thereception of the re- .i 50 to permit it to be readily turf..

movable section, or casing proper 18, of the elevator, which is securedin theseat by the clamping bolts 24.

The upper end of each casing 18 is enlarged and provided with a seat 25similar to the seat 23 and receives therein an elbow 26, which forms acontinuation of the elevator casing and serves to -turn the stream ofcoal forwardly and deliver it to the distributor tube 12. The upper rearportion 27 of the elbow is substantially sphericai, while its forwardportion is cylindrical"` and terminates in a hub 28, having a seat 29 toreceive therear end of the tube i2, which is secured in place by hookbolts 30, substantially as described in my prior Patent No. 1,410,687issued March 28, 1922, to which reference is made for a specificdescription of the construction and operation of the distributor tubes12.

The hub 28 of the elbow is equipped with a steam jet 31 for furnishingthe blast to propel the coal through the tube and give it the momentumnecessary to scatter it over the gratos.

The upper portion of the elbow is equipped with a boss 32 which forms abearing for the end portion 33 of the screw 19. Just below the bearingthe screw is equipped with stirrers, or paddles 34 that serve to feedthe coal `forwardly into the distributor tubes 12.

The casting D has a rearwardly projecting cylinder 35 communicating withthe intermediate chamber 20 and having a universal connection with thefront end of the trough 14 whereby the transfer conveyor is continuouslyin communication with the chamber 20' although the engine and tender arepermitted limited relative movement in substantially all directions.

The front wall of the chamber 20 is provided with a lug 36 which isperforated in alignment with an opening 37 in the bottom of the chamberto receive a hinge pintle 38 'by which the dividing rib 39 is attachedto the forward portion of the chamber. rlhis rib serves to divide theadvancing stream of coal into two branches which are diverted laterallyinto the receiving ends of the' elevators.

At one side of the chamber 2O the casting is provided with a wing 41(Fig. 9) spaced from the side wall and bored in alignment with athickened portion 42 thereof to receive a push rod 43 having at itsinner end an elongated opening 44 to receive stud 45 on the dividingrib. The outer end of the rod 43 is equipped with a relatively coarsethread 46 cooperating with a wheel 47'., received in the pocket 48between the wing and the wall, and projecting upwardly through a slot inthe deck 49 (Fig. 1) of the locomotive@ The periphery of the wheel isprov l e with teeth ved with pressure of the foot, or by theuapplication of a bar to swing the dividing rib.

The dri/ving me cham'sm Generally speaking the driving mechanismconsists of worm gearing driven by a small high speed multi-cylinderengine. The casting D forms a frame work to maintain the gearing inproper relation and has chambers and bores in which it is housed.

At the lower portion the casting has a cylindrical bore 51 (Figs. 1, 3and 4) in which worms 52, 53 and 54 are mounted and connected by clutchmechanism to operate as a worm shaft lying transversely across thelocomotive adjacent to the lower ends of the elevators, which worms meshwith worm gears 55, 56 and 57 connected with the elevator screws 19, 19,and the rtransfer screw 16, The worms 52 and 53 have cylindricalportions 58 and polygonal portions 58a at their opposite ends. A sleeve59 journaled in the soft metal bearing 60 in the bore 51 hascomplemental forms on its interior to receive the adjacent squared andcylindrical portions and thus connect the two worms for joint rotation.A clutch sleeve 61 slidably mounted in the bore 51 has cylindrical andpolygonal portions to receive the complemental sections on the worm 53and has also a reduced cylindrical portion 62 to receive the journal 63on the left endof the worm 54. Adjacent faces of the sleeve 61 and theworm 54 are provided with clutch teeth 64 whereby the worm 54 may bemade to rotate 65 carried by shaft 66, which is controlled l by a levermechanism 67 having a handle 68 at the side of the elevator C.

A sleeve 69 connects the worm 52 with a stub shaft 7 0 equipped with agear 71, meshing with a pinion 72 on the crank shaft 73,

of the engine 74.

The worms 52 and 53 wind iii the opposite direction and substantiallyequalize the thrust developed in driving the elevator screws 19, theleft of which rotates to the ri ht when viewed from the top and the rigt in the opposite direction. The anti-friction bearings 75 and 76 aresupplied to take the thrust of the Worm 54 and any of the thrust fromthe other Worms that may notfbe absorbed by their opposite action. f

The right end of the bore 51 is enlarged to form a seat 77 whichreceives a flange 7 8 on the cap 79 bolted to the casting at 80 andsupporting the anti-friction bearing 75 in proper position. The oppositeend of the bore 51 has a similar seat 81 receiving a thrust plate 82which is interposed between the casting D and the bed of the engine 74and supports the bearing 76 in proper position. Any thrust of the worm54 actin towards the left in Figs. 3 and 4 will be transl mitted throughthe rounded portion 63 to the worm 53, to the sleeve 59, to the worm'52,to the sleeve 59 and from it tothe bearing, 76. rlhrust in the oppositeIdirection will be transmitted by the shoulder 83 on the worm 54 to thebearing 75. rIhe worm gears 55 and 56 are made fast by keys on reducedShanks 84 (Fig. 6) at the lower endsof the elevating screws 19. The

lower end of each of these shanks is mounted in an anti-friction bearing85 seated within a flange 86 at the base of a cage 87, which projectsthrough the casting D at the bottom, a's best illustrated in Fig. 6. Thecage is somewhat cup-shape in form and receives on its top a disk 88having a depending flange 89 forming a seat for an anti-friction bearing90, in which the extended hub 91 of the gear 55 is fixed. Extendingupwardly from the disk is a tubular flange 91, having a soft metalbearing 92 on its interior, and dustcollecting threads, or rings 93 onits exterior, L which cooperate with the cupishape dust guard 94, on thelower portion of the screw 19. The dust guard carries the lower portion143 0f the elevator vane.

Each bore 21 has a shoulder 95 adjacent to' the bottom to receive aflange 96 on the top of the cage 87. 'A split ring 97 expanded into agroove 98 in the bore 21 rests on the disk 88 and secures the cage 87and with it the elevating screw assembly 19 within the casting D. Abovethe ring 97 is a anged dust guard 99 which protects the joint inservice.

At the right of the elevator C the casting D is equipped with a bore, orchamber 100 (Fig. forming a housing for the worm wheel 57, by which thetransfer screw isv driven. This gear is fixed upon a stub shaft 101which has a reduced portion 102 equipped with an anti-friction bearing103- carried by the flanged cap 104 and,v opposite to the reducedportion, an enlarged portion 105 equipped with an anti-friction bearing106 mounted in a fianged cover 107 bolted to the back of the casting D.The. shaft 101 is operatively connected with the rear end of thetransfer screw to through gearing '108, shaft 109, universal joints 110and slip joint'111. The chamber 100 communicates at its bottom with thebore 51. as shown in Fig. 7 to permit the worm gear 57 to mesh with theworm 54.

The cages 87 are slotted at one side, as indicated at 112 (Fig. 6) topermit the wormgears 55 and 56 to mesh with the worms 52 and 53respectively.

The iy wheel 113 (Fig. 5) is journaledv on the crank shaft 73 to rotatefreely on the bearing 114. Hub 115 fixed to the crank shaft carries afriction disk 116 bearing against the 'friction surface 117 on the iywheel.

The elevators are provided with means for localizing jams along the rearsides of the casings and are equipped with doors 118 re- ,casting D,which is normally open at the top.

,the deck at 142. Under normal conditions it.

transfer conveyor and laterally through the openings, or doors, 22,which extend from the line 120 (Fig. 11)- rearwardly and outwardly tothe line 121 and from the edge of the spoon-shaped bottom at 122 up tothe line 123 (Fig. 12) exposing a large portion of a turn of thescrew tothe fuel in the chamber 20. Y

The vanes of the screws being inclined, the tendency of the coal is toroll down them and centrifugal force tends to throw the coal laty erallyfrom the screws. Hence, itis necessary to deliver the fuel through thedoors 22 under sucient pressure tofovercome these tendenj cies,otherwise the coal will mill around without rising. The transfer screwcontinuing to feed the coal to the chamber 20 forms Sullicient pressureto advance that coal through the doors 22 against the tendency of thecoal to fall from the elevators back through those doors and thus thecoal on the vanes 1s supported by the oncoming coal.

The base casting D is provided with a foot 124 at the front (Figs. 1 andand two feet 125 (Figs. 10 and 14) at the rear by which the stoker issupported y011 the frame 126 o f the locomotive.k The proportions varyin dlffer.- ent locomotives and brackets 127 interposed between the feet124 and 125 and frame 126 may be varied to locate t-he stoker in properrelation to the lire box.

As a. general rule the engine will be suiiciently supported by the boltswhich clamp the engine bed to theibase casting of the Stoker, but ofcourse this" may be supplemented by suitable brackets where occasion mayrequire. Y f

The deck 49 is cut away to form a door opening above the chamber 20 inthe base Z-bars 130 fixed to the casting extend along l the front andthe rear off'the opening and support the deck. A door made in two pieceshinged together at 141 is hinged to is in the position shown in Fig. 8,but when "l it is desired to have access to the chamber 20 the door maybefolded upon itself and rearwardly on the deck in an obvious manner.VVhem for any reason, the transfer conveyor `1 is not operative thisdoor may be opened and the fuel shoveled directly into the chamber 20,thus permitting the stoker to be continued in service so far aseffectively distributing the coal is concerned, without opening the v1lire door to admit destructive drafts' of cold alr.

In some locomotives there is suiiicient clearance to permit thetransverse bore in the base casting to be located in front 'of theelevator casings, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 15, where 131indicates the worm gears on the elevator screws; 132 the correspondingworms; 133 the worm for driving the transfer screw; 134 the reductiongearing, and 135 the engine. In such a case the base casting D D may bechanged, as indicated in Fig. 16, where the bore 136 for the transfershaft 137 is substantially at the front portion of the casting. Thispermits the spoon-shaped bottom 138 of the chamber 139 to be given amore gradual slope, or where desirable, it will permit the over-alllengths of the base casting to be reduced.

By driving the screws continuously it becomes possible to greatly reducethe size of the conduits while maintaining the ability to supply themaximum amount of coal required for the locomotive. This reduction insize permits an enormous reduction in weight, particularly of thoseparts of the Stoker that are carried by the locomotive.

In this instance, a four-cylinder engine, making about 800 revolutionsper minute, permits the engineto be located at the'side of thelocomotive adjacent to the ljuncture of the elevating and transferscrews, where it can be connected with those screws by very short anddirect driving mechanism.

Through the reduction gearing at the end of the crank shaft and thereduction in the worm gearing, the speed is stepped down until thescrews are given about 80 revolutions per minute. With this ratio andthe high speed, a

small engine can develop suicient power tol crush the coal in thetransfer conveyor and advance it along both the transfer conveyor andthe elevators.

On some locomotives the reduction gearing will notA be needed, but, dueto the ratio or the relation of parts on many, if not most locomotives,there is insufficient space in that particular locality to accommodategearing of suflicient size. p

An engine located at one side of the locomotive at about the height ofthe space between the frame and the deck, driving a shaft running'across the locomotive in that space alongside the ends of the elevatingscrews and small gearing connecting the shaft and the screws makes avery compact organization that is low in weight and so small in sizethat it can be mounted on small (as Well as large) locomotives close tothe work to be done without disturbing the fixed standards of locomotivepractice, and it can develop suiicient power to supply the largest fireboxes. f I

The normal relationship is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 14 from which itwill be seen that i mechanism is between the frame 126 and the deck 49in close relationship to the screws to be driven and adjacent to theback head 129. It will occasionally happen that the bottom of the crankcase and the lower portion of the fly wheel will extend below the uppersurface of the frame, but no vital change in locomotive practice isrequired to apply this simple organization to locomotives both in theUnited States and foreign countries.

On most locomotives this space is so small that there is insufficientroom to remove the lower portion of the housing for the gears, andpermit them to be inspected or replaced. For that reason the housing forthe worms is made as a bore in the base casting and the worms are madephysically separate to facilitate the original assembly and thereplacement after they have become worn in service. The worm 52 can bereadily inserted and withdrawn from the left side of the stoker afterthe engine has been removed. The worms 53 and 54 are readily insertedand withdrawn from the right side of the Stoker after the cap 79 hasbeen removed. When these worms are of the same radius and the same pitchthere is no need to remove the worm gear 57 in order to remove or insertthe Worm 53, but where otherwise the worm gear 57 can be readily removedby first detaching the cover plate 107.

The elevator screws, with or without the casings 18, may be readilyremoved and replaced by unfastening the hook bolts 30, prying up thedust ring 99 (Fig. 6) and removing the split ring 97.

The power mechanism for swinging the dividing rib 39 permitsthatrimportant con trol element to be shifted with ease under thevarying conditions of service. As the transfer screw tends to feedmoreto one side than the other, and that tendency varies with the physicalcharacter and condition of the coal, this ability to change the positionof the dividing rib so as to better control the feed of the elevators isvery advantageous.

The friction drive between the crank shaft and the fly wheel relievesthe strain on the mechanism when a large lump of coal is to be crushed,or when some foreign matter clogs one of the screws. The energy stored,up in the iiy wheel is thus permitted to ex-y pend itself harmlessly.

In the diagram shown in Fig. 17, 150 is Vthe transverse shaft equippedwith bevel gears 151, 152, and 153, instead of worms and these mesh withbevel gears 154, 155, and 156, in the place of worm gears shown in thebeveled form. The operation of this modified gearing is enhanced by theuse of what are lmown as Spiral bevel gears.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of acasing having an opening to the rear, a plurality of openings at the topand a transverse bore, a transfer conveyor communicating with therearward opening and including a transfer screw, elevators communicatlngvwith the top openings and each including an elevator screw, a worm gearfor each elevator screw, a worm in the transverse bore meshing with eachof the worm gears, a third worm gear in the casing operatively connectedwith the transfer screw, and the third worm in the Atransverse boremeshing with the last-mentioned worm gear.

2. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a transfer conveyor and aplurality of elevators, a casing joining the delivery end of thetransfer conveyor with the receiving ends of the elevators and having atransverse bore adjacent to the proximate ends of the transf er conveyorand elevators, means for driving the conveyors including a plurality ofstructurally separate worms mounted in said bore and operating inunison.

3.` In a locomotive stoker, the combination of a transferconveyor'including a screw, an elevating conveyor including a screw, andmeans for driving the screws including a plu- Y rality of aligned wormsand clutch mechanism for connecting the worms for simultaneous rotation.Y

4. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a single substantiallyhorizontal transfer screw, two elevating screws having their receivingends adjacent to the delivery end of the transfer screw, a casingconnectin the proximate ends of the several screws an havj ing a boretransverse to the transferscrew, means for driving the Several screwsincluding three physically separate worms, and means for constrainingthe worms to rotate 1n unison.

. 5. In a locomotive stoker, the combination of a pair of elevators,each including a screw,

' worm gears for driving the screws in o 0- site directions, and rightand left hand worms respectively driving the worm gears.

6. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a pair of elevator screwsaligned transversely to the locomotive, an engine including a crankshaft having its axis extending transverselyt'o the locomotive andadapted to rotate continuously, and spiral caring `driven by they crankshaft and driving the elevator screws. p A

7. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a substantially horizontaltransfer screw,

a pair of diverging elevator screws having their receiving ends adjacentto the delivery end of the transfer screw, a plural-cylinder engine atone side of 'the proximate ends of Ithe three screws, transmission'mechanism connecting the engine with the three screws and including aworm gear for each elevating screw, and structurally separate wormsdriven by the engine and meshing wlth the worm gears.

8. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a palr of elevator screws,a caslng adjacent to the lower ends of the elevator screwshavi gears..

l0. In alocomotive Stoker, the combination of a pair of elevator screws,a casing adja- Y cent to the lower end of the elevator screws having abore transverse to the Screws, a worm gear in driving relation to eachscrew, and opposed right and left hand worms in the bore of the casingmeshing with the worm gears, said worms being structurally separatewhereby they may be inserted and removed through corresponding ends ofthe casing.

1l. In a locomotive Stoker, 'the combination of a single transfer screwand a plurality of elevating Screws, and means for drivin the screwsincluding opposed right and left and worms for the elevating'screws, athird worm for the transferv screw in alignment with the first worms,worm gears meshing with the respective worms and operatively connectedwith the respective screws, and thrust bearings for the third worm.

l2. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination los y of a single transferScrew and a plurality of I gnol posite hand to equalize the thrust, andthrust bearings adjacent to the opposite endsof the bore for taking thethrust of the third screw.

13. In a locomotive Stoker, the combination of a casing having atransverse bore, av 'worm 1n the bore, the casing also having anupwardly extending bore, an elevating screw for the last-mentioned bore,a'worm gear, bearings for the screw ,and gear, and'l cage for the gearhaving an opening opposite to I the worm, the elevating screw with itsworm gear and cage being removable as a unit from the casing,

14. In alocomotive stoker, the combination of a small chamber, aplurality of elevators communicating with thev chamber, a transferconveyor delivering lto the chamber, a dividin rib pivotally mounted inthe chamber for dividing the fuel delivered thereto, a nut fixed againstlateral movement,

. and a screw cooperating with the nut and connected with the dividingrib.

15. In a stoker for locomotives including a back head, a grate extendingforwardly from the back head, a deck extending rearwardly from the backhead, a small chamber,

a plurality of elevators communicating with on the receptacle.

17. The combination of a locomotive in# cluding a backhead and a deckextending rearwardly from the backhead and having a door openingtherein, a door for the opening hinged to swing upwardly from the deck,a

stoker including a receptacle below the door opening, and a support fonthe deck at the Y rear of the opening and resting on the receptacle.

18. The combination of locomotive including a backhead and a deckextending rearwardly from the backhead and having a door openingtherein, a door for the opening, a Stoker including a receptacle. belowthe transversely to the locomotive at one side of the axis of the screwand adjacent to its lower end and spiral gearing between the shaft andthe elevator and between the shaft and the transfer conveyor.

21. In a locomotive Stoker, a transfer conveyor bringing coal to thelocomotive, an elevator extending along the back head of the locomotiveand receiving coal from the transfer conveyor, a screw in the elevator,a worm gear on the screw adjacent to its lower end, a small high speedreversible engine for driving the elevator screw and the transferconveyor with continuous motion and low speed transmission mechanismbetween the engine and the screw including a shaft at one side of theaxis of the screw, a worm on thev shaft meshing with the worm gear onthe screw and gearing connecting the engine and the transfer conveyor.

22. In a locomotive stoker, the combination of a substantiallyhorizontal transfer screw bringing coal to the locomotive, a pluralityof upwardly extending screws receiving coal from the transfer screw andraising it to an elevation suitable for firing, a small high speedreversible engine located at one side of the locomotive below the caband low ratio transmission mechanism including a shaft lying adjacent tothe lower ends of the elevating screws and at one side thereof, andindependent' gearing connecting the shaft with the elevating screws andwith the transfer screw. v

In witness whereof I affix my si nature.

NATHAN M. L WER.

door opening, and a transverse bar resting on the receptacle andsupporting the deck.

19. In a locomotive Stoker, the combina tion of a pair of elevatorscrews, a casing adjacent to the lower ends of the elevator screwshaving a bore transverse to the screws,

Y a worm gear in driving relation to each screw,and worms for each wormgear in 'the bore of the casing meshing with the worm` gears, said wormsbeing structurally separate whereby they may be inserted and removedwhile the worm gears are held in their respective positions.

20. In a locomotive Stoker, a transfer conveyor bringing coal to thelocomotive, a screw elevator extending along the backV head of thelocomotive and receivin coal from the transfer conveyor, a small higspeed reversv ible engine for driving the elevator screw and thetransfer'conveyor with continuous motion and located at one side of theloeomo- Y tive below the cab, and low ratio transmission mechanismincluding a shaft extending

